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Posted on: February 17, 2015  0 Like

7 Ways to Enhance Indoor Environments with Biophilic

Design
By KATIE GLOEDE

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The Children’s Library

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Architecture

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Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
First made popular by scholar Edward O. Wilson in the 1980’s, biophilia is the urge for humans to affiliate with
other life. More recently, the biophilia hypothesis has been directly incorporated in architecture and interior
design, improving the performance and well-being of people occupying indoor spaces. Biophilic design
improves both physiological and psychological health, which is especially important as people spend an
average of 90% of the day indoors.

The Biophilic Cities Project, a network at the University of Virginia School of Architecture, kicked off their
Spring Webinar Series with a presentation from Bill Browning, the founder of Terrapin Bright Green. Since its
inception in 2006, Terrapin has harnessed principles of biophilic design to improve the environmental and
economic performance of environments for clients ranging from resorts to the Pentagon. Browning’s Tirpitz > Bjarke Ingels Group
presentation highlights many of the unique benefits of biophilic design to not only improving quality of life, but
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also in the performance of buildings. Here are seven interesting facts about biophilia and biophilic design from
Browning’s work at Terrapin, the Biophilic Cities Project, and studies across the globe.
VIDEO
1. Biophilic design creates healthy, happy work environments.

Research showing the incredible benefits of biophilic design is mounting. Interventions that incorporate nature
or mimic natural systems are linked to decreased stress, enhanced creativity, and accelerated recovery from
illness. In the workplace, biophilic design tactics employed in offices increase the well-being of employees and
therefore aid other financial benefits like reduction in use of sick days. The annual savings for a company can
amount to $3,000 per employee.

2019 AIA COTE Top Te
2. Biophilia is not just about plants.
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Design >
The obvious application of biophilia for indoor environments is the addition of plant life, but that’s just the
beginning. Human response to natural processes goes much farther. For example, human response to view more >
biomorphic patterns and arrangements seen in nature, are preferable. Even though we understand these
patterns are non-living, our brains associate them with representations of living things. Browning explains that MOST POPUL
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examples of this include the Fibonnaci sequence, which o en appears in nature in leaf arrangements and
J-House

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6/17/2019 7 Ways to Enhance Indoor Environments with Biophilic Design | Architect Magazine | Design, Green Communities, Green Design, Sustai…

spirals. This use of patterns and fractals in design is commonly referred to as biomicry and is one piece of a
holistic approach to biophilic design.

3. Light is a part of our rhythm. Illinois Inst

Technolog
Names...
Maximizing natural light benefits people as well as energy bills, but biophilic interventions incorporate natural
lighting from diffusion to temporal changes. A lighting system that either naturally or artificially changes
throughout the day to mimic our circadian rhythm helps link people to the outdoor environment and, These 400
essentially, keep us on track with our natural 24 hour cycle. Maximizing natural light and changes throughout To Anyone

the day also enhances visual comfort.

Wood / Pile
4. Our minds and bodies appreciate the presence of water.

Interventions that add the presence of water to spaces have several health benefits, among them lowered
blood pressure, lowered heart rate, and memory restoration. Empirical research has found that the presence of 151 North F

water increases feelings of tranquility and is an overall preference.

5. We can feel nature in the air.

NEXT
While it logically seems best to keep indoor conditions constant (like the temperature in an office, for example)
PROGRESSIV
studies show that student performance is enhanced in spaces with variability in temperature and airflow.
Airflow stimulation has been found to keep people awake, also naturally improving focus and performance.

6. Appealing to multiple senses makes more sense.

In order to most effectively reach people with biophilic design, it’s best to aim for multi-sensory stimuli. While
seeing nature is not without benefit, if people are also able to smell or hear it the positive implications are even
greater. The ability to smell plants, feel airflow, and hear water are simple examples of these far-reaching
interventions. A er Architecture >

7. Faking nature has some payback, too.

BRIEFS
While the presence of real nature is far better to reap the physiological and psychological benefits of biophilic
design, elements that mimic nature are not without some benefit, too. Addition of natural paintings and the Six Programs Offer Aff
utilization of biomorphic patterns also improve perception of space. When it’s simply not possible to add a Housing Support and
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window or entirely retrofit an existing space, opportunities that mimic nature are a viable option.
The Biophilic Cities Project will continue “Fostering Connections with the Natural World: A Biophilic Cities
Webinar Series” tomorrow and all webinars are free and open to the public. Browning’s lecture is also available
The Number of Archite
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for viewing on the site.

 
Deborah Marton Nam
Executive Director of V
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Institute >
Katie Gloede
Katie Gloede is on the Radar Desk Data Studio team working with Metrostudy to integrate housing data across the Hanley
Wood brands. 
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